WASHINGTON — The Defense Department has accepted a luxury Boeing 747 aircraft from Qatar for use as Air Force One by President Donald Trump, the Pentagon confirmed Wednesday, prompting a firestorm of legal, constitutional, and ethical concerns in Washington.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth authorized the acquisition during Trump’s recent Middle East trip, where the Qatari government presented the plane as a gift. The move has ignited backlash over potential violations of the Constitution’s Emoluments Clause, which bars federal officials from accepting gifts from foreign states without congressional approval.
Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said the aircraft was accepted “in accordance with all federal rules and regulations” and that the Defense Department would ensure “proper security measures” are implemented before the aircraft is cleared for presidential use.
Trump defended the arrangement on his social media platform, claiming it would save taxpayer dollars.
“Why should our military, and therefore our taxpayers, be forced to pay hundreds of millions of Dollars when they can get it for FREE?” Trump wrote during his trip.
However, critics argue the gesture could prove more costly in the long run. The aircraft, described by some as a “palace in the sky,” will require extensive retrofitting to meet Air Force One standards — a process that experts warn could exceed $1 billion and take years to complete.
Democrats, and even several Republicans, have voiced alarm over the implications of the gift. Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., blasted the move during a Senate hearing, calling it “unconstitutional” and “a dangerous course of action.”
“Far from saving money, this unconstitutional action will not only cost our nation its dignity, but it will force taxpayers to waste over $1 billion to overhaul this aircraft when we already have two fully operational Air Force One planes,” Duckworth said.
Air Force Secretary Troy Meink testified that Secretary Hegseth has already directed the service to begin planning the aircraft’s upgrades, acknowledging that “significant modifications” are needed. The Air Force also confirmed it is preparing to award a classified contract for the upgrade, but details remain restricted due to national security considerations.
Speaking alongside South African President Cyril Ramaphosa in the Oval Office, Trump bristled when questioned about the optics of accepting a luxury jet from a foreign monarchy.
“They are giving the United States Air Force a jet,” Trump said. “It’s not to me — it’s to the Air Force, to help us out.”
Ramaphosa, in a light-hearted moment, replied, “I’m sorry I don’t have a plane to give you,” to which Trump responded, “If your country was offering the United States Air Force a plane, I would take it.”
Trump has not offered a national security justification for accepting the plane rather than waiting for Boeing to complete the new fleet of Air Force One jets already under contract. Those planes, ordered during Trump’s first term, have faced repeated production delays.
In an apparent attempt to ease political tensions, Trump said he does not intend to use the Qatar aircraft once he leaves office. Instead, he suggested it could eventually serve as a centerpiece in a future presidential library, akin to President Ronald Reagan’s retired Boeing 707, now housed in a California museum.
AP
